A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 306

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – Episode 306 (306/512)

Chapter 74: The Clouds in My Heart Clear (1)

The Tampa Bay Rays’ team plane was headed to Baltimore, Maryland.

The flight from St. Petersburg to Baltimore takes about 2 hours.

Beep-

Just as the plane finished taking off and began its full operation.

Just as the seatbelt sign above the seats went off, and the announcement came that ‘facilities including the restroom are now available’.

Jisub and the others from the Future Strategy Planning Department were making their way into the aisle of the plane, guided by Coach Thomas Culkin.

“Alright! Everyone, focus!”

Coach Thomas Culkin clapped his hands to get the players’ attention.

“Some of you may already know, but starting today, the Future Strategy Planning Department will be joining our team on this road trip as full members.”

It was a kind of introduction ceremony.

A time to introduce the people from the Future Strategy Planning Department to the Tampa Bay Rays team.

It was a necessary process, as it was very unusual for front office staff to board the team plane.

“These are people who have joined us with the official invitation of the manager, so let’s make sure to treat them well! Understand!”

“Yes, Coach!”

As the team’s loud voices filled the plane, Coach Thomas Culkin took a step back and winked at Jisub.

The general introduction was over, so now it was time for the Future Strategy Planning Department to greet the team.

Of course, Jisub was prepared for this as well.

“Hey, Lama.”

“Understood, Kim.”

John Lama, the main director of the Future Strategy Planning Department, stepped forward, clearing his throat.

“Team members, hello!”

The owner’s son, who just an hour ago was whining about ‘wanting to work in a sunny office’.

But at this moment, he began to give his greetings with a confident attitude and expression, as if he had never done that.

“Our Future Strategy Planning Department is creating the game prediction report, the ‘Yellow Book’, which you all know well. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to come and see us anytime…….”

John Lama Taylor continued to speak without any sign of nervousness, even occasionally giving a relaxed smile.

David Wilson, who was watching him with a curious look, quietly approached Jisub and said.

“I didn’t realize Taylor was so good at public speaking.”

“Well, even a worm can turn,” Jisub thought.

David Wilson muttered in a voice that was barely audible.

Just as Jisub was about to burst into laughter at those words, David opened his mouth again with a serious expression.

“That’s right, but…….”

David tilted his head slightly.

“Kim, is our team plane usually this serious?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, it seems like the players are very different from what I usually see. Should I say they’re a little serious? Or should I say they’re earnest?”

David’s words were true.

The Tampa Bay players who boarded the plane that day were in a very heavy mood, unlike usual.

Some players were staring at their tablet PCs with their brows furrowed, and others were seriously discussing something with their heads together.

In a way, it seemed that the fact that the Future Strategy Planning Department had boarded the plane that day was not very important to them.

“It doesn’t seem like many people are listening to Taylor’s greetings……. Did something happen to the team?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

It was Coach Thomas Culkin who answered, standing next to Jisub.

“It’s not much different from other team planes usually. Some guys are playing cards noisily, and some guys are chattering about trivial things throughout the flight.”

Scratch, scratch.

Coach Thomas Culkin scratched his chin.

“But this time is a bit special because there’s a guy waiting in Baltimore that we really want to beat.”

“A guy you want to beat?”

“Yeah, I think you guys know about it.”

Vincent.

Coach Thomas Culkin mentioned the name that had already been mentioned several times.

“Vincent Hiyama, I’m talking about.”

* * *

He had been considered one of the best players in the major leagues for the past few seasons.

Vincent Hiyama. 28 years old.

The Baltimore Orioles’ proud two-way ace.

It is said that there were many negative views when he first joined the team.

Everyone acknowledged that he was a promising player with 역대급 [unprecedented] talent, but two-way play was not a challenge that anyone could do.

If he made a mistake, people would say, ‘It’s better to give up being a pitcher,’ and if he was a little sluggish, people would say, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to give up being a hitter?’

It was a ‘two-way’ challenge that everyone looked at with disapproving eyes, but Vincent Hiyama began to shine exactly three years after joining the team.

Clang!

Claaaaang!

When he stepped into the batter’s box, he could easily become a designated hitter who could produce an average of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs [Runs Batted In] per year.

Whoosh- Bang!

Whoosh- Baaang!

When he went to the mound, he was a super ace who could use as many as seven different types of breaking balls with a 100 mph fastball.

‘Seriously, they’d get 욕 [criticism] even if they wrote a novel like that…….’

As he gradually proved his worth, he reached the peak of his career last season.

As a hitter, he recorded a batting average of 0.319 with 37 home runs, 117 RBIs, and an OPS [On-Base Plus Slugging] of 1.037.

As a pitcher, he recorded 16 wins and 4 losses with an ERA [Earned Run Average] of 2.57 and 225 strikeouts.

He was named the American League season MVP [Most Valuable Player] with a total WAR [Wins Above Replacement] of 11.78.

“Honestly, you have to see him as a crazy guy. He’s still in first place in strikeouts and home runs this year.”

A superstar who is performing at his best this year, following last year.

Why are the Tampa Bay players so serious about meeting him?

The reason was surprisingly simple.

“I don’t know if I should say this…… but in a word, we’re getting completely destroyed. We are, by Vincent.”

Coach Thomas Culkin licked his lips.

“We’ve lost to starting pitcher Vincent in five consecutive games recently. We’ve been hit with home runs by designated hitter Vincent in four consecutive games recently.”

Since last season, they had been completely overwhelmed by Vincent Hiyama’s performance.

He said that’s why the players were shouting ‘This time it’s different!’ and burning with determination.

“No matter how much Vincent is a 리그 MVP [League MVP]-level player, our players can’t help but feel their pride hurt if they’re pushed back this far.”

Watching Coach Thomas Culkin say that, Jisub was reminded of Manager Mike Clambleas.

Even after having a heavy drink with the coaching staff, he would head to the manager’s office saying, ‘We need to come up with a plan to stop Vincent’.

It seemed that there was this kind of background to why he was so persistent.

“So…… is there any plan that came out of the team, or anything like that?”

David Wilson asked.

With a slightly discouraged expression.

“We wrote it down in the ‘Yellow Book’, but we couldn’t come up with any particularly good ideas. Vincent’s condition is so good these days…….”

“That’s right, objectively speaking, he’s a difficult guy to deal with. But there’s also a saying that 80% of baseball is momentum.”

“So, we’ve ordered an aggressive approach.”

Coach Thomas Culkin said.

“Until now, we’ve often been hit by one shot after another because we were trying to avoid a head-on match, so this time we’ve decided to boldly attack the strike zone. The players have agreed as well.”

“Hmm, an aggressive match against Vincent Hiyama…….”

David Wilson narrowed his brows.

“Coach, are you sure about this? If we make a mistake, it’s completely…….”

“Stop, that’s enough.”

Coach Thomas Culkin raised his hand to stop David’s words.

A bitter smile was already spreading across his face.

“I’m also…… really nervous right now.”

It seemed that even an experienced coach couldn’t always be calm.

* * *

Why is there such a saying?

A sad premonition always becomes reality.

Waaaaaah!!!

That evening, the first game of the weekend series was held at the Baltimore Orioles’ home stadium.

In the game between 4th year left-handed starter Wellington Brito from the Tampa Bay Rays and Jisub’s old colleague Jimmy Morris from the Baltimore Orioles.

In this game between the two starting pitchers, David Wilson and Coach Thomas Culkin’s ‘sad premonition’ became a reality.

Hi- yama! Clap clap clap clap!